Fantasy Rookies To Watch

Added on Jun 29, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

Rookies can often hold the key to championship glory in fantasy football. Those shrewd enough to draft Cam Newton or A.J. Green in 2011 likely reaped the benefits. Well, 2012 offers a handful of enticing options for owners who do their homework on this year’s freshman class of talented playmakers. It’s never too early to prepare for the draft, so here are some guys to monitor closely in the preseason.

Robert Griffin III (Redskins) – Andrew Luck has massive shoes to fill in Indy, but Griffin III has to step into a spot previously occupied by Rex Grossman, John Beck and a washed-up Donovan McNabb. Needless to say, he has little to lose. Like Newton, RG III is a dual threat signal-caller with loads of potential. There’s no Steve Smith in the ‘Skins receiving corps, but the offense will definitely run through the number two overall pick.

Trent Richardson (Browns) – It will be interesting to see how early the ex-Bama back will be selected in drafts. If he impresses enough in the exhibition season, he could vault into the early third-round or late second. Richardson has a solid offensive line in front of him and possesses excellent pass catching skills. The Browns will face some tough defenses, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Trent finish as a Top 10 fantasy back.

Justin Blackmon (Jaguars) – Blackmon is off to a bad start in Jacksonville after being pinched for DUI. However, the Jags have next to nothing at wide receiver, so the talented field-stretcher will be given every opportunity to make an early impact. He’ll have to keep his head screwed on and Blaine Gabbert must improve. In other words, draft with caution.

Brian Quick (Rams) – The Rams were linked to Blackmon but once the Jags snagged him, they used their second of two first-round picks to take Quick, who has the size and speed to become fast friends with quarterback Sam Bradford. Quick doesn’t have the hype of Blackmon, but he could easily end up with better numbers by season’s end. Consider him an excellent late round sleeper.

Rueben Randle (Giants) – The former LSU Tiger enters a great situation with the defending champs: Mario Manningham is gone and Hakeem Nicks is out indefinitely with a broken foot. Randle’s college stats are nothing to brag about, but Eli Manning is capable of turning wideouts into fantasy studs. See Victor Cruz.